Telegraph-key.



M. H..MEEKER.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

APPLICATJON FILED sEPT.-25; 1913. RENEWED MAR. 1'4. 191 s.

1 ,200,004, Patented ()ct. 3,1916.

MORTON I-I. MEEKER, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

TELEGRAPH-KEY. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Application filed September 25, 1913, Serial No. 791,872. Renewed March 14, 1916. Serial No. 84,240.

To all whom it may concern Bev it known that I, MORTON H. MEEKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph- Keys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in telegraph keys.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an adjustable cushioned contact point for relieving the jar incident to the depression of the key.

With the ordinary key, the contact is rigidly mounted on the key, and is arranged to be depressed down onto the top of another rigid contact mounted on the base. The jar incident to the depression of the key and the engagement of the contacts, results seriously to the arm of the operator. In a great many cases the operators sending arm becomes greatly cramped and ends with paralysis of the arm. 1

It is the principal object of the presen invention to provide a contact carried by the key which is cushioned, or yieldably supported so that there will be no sudden jar when the key is depressed and the contact engages with the contact on the base of the instrument.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a telegraph key made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line- 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents the base of the instrument on which is pivotally mounted the key lever 11, the lever carrying the trunnions 12 which are journaled in the adjusting screw bearings 13. One end of the key is provided with the usual button 14am to the opposite end with the adjusting or regulating screw 15. Forwardly of the trunnions 12 is arranged the screw 16 which holds the upper end ofthe conical spiral spring 17 which spring rests on the base 10. At the portion of the key lever where the usual contact pin depends is formed an opening 18 and mounted on the key over this opening is'a vertical casing 19. This casing has a large bore in the upper portion as indicated at 20, and a smaller bore at the lower end as indicated at 21. Disposed in the casing is the contact pin 22, this pin being in shape similar to a nail, the shank of which is passed through the smaller bore 21 so that the head rests on the bottom wall of the larger bore. The pin thus projects through the bottom of the key lever. Disposed in the larger bore and resting on the head of the pin is a coiled spring 23. On the upper end of the casing is engaged a screw threaded cap 24, this cap having a vertical threaded opening formed therethrough and in which is engaged an adjusting screw 25. The lower end of this screw is slightly reduced and has a smooth external surface resulting in a circumferential shoulder which rests on the upper end of the coiled spring, the reduced end passing into the spring, as will be understood. By rotating the screw to raise or lower the same, the spring can be compressed to various degrees, according to the resistance desired by the operator.

The spring 17 normally holds the button end of the key raised, and upon depressing this end of the key, the spring pressed contact pin will engage the stationary contact pin on the base and be forced slightly upward into the casing against the tension of the spring 23. Thus there is no jar when the key is depressed and the operator isable to use the key continuously a greater length of time without fatigue, as with: the ordinary key. The ordinary key jars the arm to such an extent that the nerves are aifected causing paralysis in a great number of cases.

What is claimed is The combination with the key lever of a telegraph instrument having an opening therethrough, of a vertically disposed casing detachably mounted on the lever, the bottom of the casing being formed with an and a, tightening screw disposed in the cap opening registering with the opening of the and bearing on the upper end of the spring. 10 key lever, a contact member slidably dis- In testimony whereof, I affiX my signaposed through the registered openings, at ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

head on the inner end of the contact mem MORTON H. MEEKER.

her, a coiled spring disposed within the easing and bearing with its lower end on the said head, a removable cap for the casing,

Witnesses:

-J. D. HANNAN, FRANK WISE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

